Pukanic was returning to his flat at about 23:50 hours Wednesday when a man approached him wielding a gun and fired towards Pukanic’s head. Pukanic ducked and the bullet hit a store window.

According to Nacional, the attacker tried shooting again, but his gun jammed and Pukanic used this opportunity to run to the other side of the street.

As Pukanic started running towards the door of his building, he took out his own gun, for which he has a license, and shouted at the assailant: “Stop, I’ll shoot”. Since the attacker continued pursuing him, Pukanic fired two warning shots. The perpetrator then took flight and threw away his gun which the police found.

Nacional writes Pukanic had tried to call the police, but could not get through. He got a phone call from his daughter who was in their flat and told her to call the police. He then walked over to police officers who were located nearby.

The attacker was not masked, so Pukanic could describe him to the police. He said he did not know the assailant and his face was not familiar to him. According to Nacional, there were several witnesses who saw the perpetrator.

Pukanic’s neighbour, Mrs. Gveric, did not seem too rattled.

- I heard two shots. I thought somebody was firing from a BB-gun – she said.

The police are treating this as a case of attempted murder and are searching for the perpetrator, Zagreb police said.

Ivo Pukanic has not reported any threats to police.

Over the night police talked with Pukanic and he announced a news conference.

After police handcuffed and committed his wife, Mirjana Pukanic, to a psychiatric hospital, this is yet another dramatic event relating to the Pukanic family.